In response, the McConnell campaign issued a blistering statement that claims the ad crosses the line.

From McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton:

“These rabid partisan extremists have no interest in promoting what’s right for Kentucky and they’ll stop at nothing to attack its biggest advocate.

Two months ago, a left-wing affiliated group attacked former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao’s ethnicity because she is married to Senator Mitch McConnell. The left then made a secret, illegal recording of a private meeting at Senator McConnell’s campaign office and released it to a George Soros funded website.

Today, a left-wing group is running commercials connecting the Republican Leader of the U.S. Senate to an Al Qaeda terrorist.

To say these attacks are desperate and extreme would be an understatement. They are deplorable. The political left has proven they’ll stop at nothing to target people who disagree with them. Racist attacks on Mitch’s family, illegal bugging, and connecting him with terrorists won’t stop him from fighting for the Second Amendment rights of law abiding Kentuckians.”

In response to the McConnell campaign, Americans United spokesman Jeremy Fund defended the ad.

He says the GOP leader makes no attempt to defend his opposition to expanding background checks for gun sales, and is trying to distract political observers.

“To be very clear: nothing in the ad says Senator McConnell pals around with terrorists—but we are saying the reckless policy he espouses benefits criminals and terrorists looking to get their hands on guns in America no questions asked, a point made straight from the horse’s mouth in that Al Qaeda recruitment video,” he says.

“It is hard to imagine a more frightening example why the gun show loophole needs to be closed than that video – and it makes it even harder to understand why politicians like Sen. McConnell would not be willing to do everything possible to keep guns out of the hands of criminals—including would-be terrorists—and the dangerously mentally ill, as 90 percent of the American people want Congress to do.”